Pop-up sprinkler with slide connection



Aug. 23, 1966 R. B. COSTA 3,268,173

POP-UP SPRINKLER WITH SLIDE CONNECTION Filed June 30, 1964 INVENTOR. CO3 7A BY 5M/ United States Patent O 3,268,173 PGP-UP SPRINKLER WETH SLIDECONNECTION Robert B. Costa, Covina, Calif., assigner to Rain BirdSprinkler Mfg. Corp., Glendora, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaFiled .lune 30, 1964, Ser. No. 379,132 4 Claims. (Cl. 239-206) Thisinvention relates to pop-up sprinklers with slide connections andincluded in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a sprinkler having an axially slidable connection forsprinklers which includes a fixed collar and slidable tube so arrangedthat, except for the extended position of the tube, a flow passage ismaintained between the tube and collar so as to flush the parts free ofsand, mud or solids contained in the water, but which on full extensionof the tube forms not only a fiuid tight seal but also holds the tubeand the axis of a sprinkler carried thereby in concentric relation withthe collar.

Second, to provide an axially slidable connection for pop-up sprinklerswhich utilizes a collar having a conical bore, and a tube having axiallyextending tapered ribs which, on axial extension of the tube, formbearing means securing the tube in coaxial relation lwith the collar.

With the above and other objects in view as may rappear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational partial sectional view of the pop-upsprinkler, showing particularly the slide connection in its retractedposition and indicating by broken lines the raised position of thesprinkler head.

FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken respectivelythrough 2 2, 3 3 and 4 4 of FIG- URE l.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through 5 5of FIGURE 4 and showing the slide connection in its retracted position.

FIGURE 6 is a smiliar sectional View showing the slide connection in itsextended position.

The sprinkler includes la sprinkler housing 1 preferably molded ofplastic material and including at its lower end a hollow stem or sleeve2. The lower end of the hollow stem is provided with a fitting 3 forattachment to a water supply pipe, not shown. The upper end of thehollow stem 2 is joined to an enlarged hollow stem 4 which, in turn, isfurther enlarged to form a sprinkler chamber 5.

The upper end of the hollow stem 2, which projects a short distancewithin the enlarged hollow stem 4, is internally screw-threaded toreceive a collar 6 having an externally screw-threaded portion 7. Thecollar `6 is provided with a tapered bore 8 and is provided at its lowerextremity with an annular seat 9. The bore 8 is provided with a pair ofaxially extending diametrically disposed key slots 10.

The collar 6 is adapted to receive a flow tube 11 which is provided ondiametrically opposite sides with key ribs 12 that mate with the keyslots 10 so that the flow tube may slide axially in the collar 6 but isrestrained against -rotation relative to the collar. The fiow tube 11 isalso provided with four tapered ribs 13 'arranged in diametricallyopposite pairs. The ribs 13 mate with the walls of the tapered bore 8when the flow tube is in its axially extended position. One pair of ribs13 may be disposed in flanking relation with the key ribs 12 as shownbest in FIGURE 2.

The lower extremity of the flow tube 11 is provided with an externalflange 14 which forms a shoulder to support a seal ring 15 which engagesthe annular seat 9 when the flow tube is in its extended position. Thetapered ribs 13 and the key ribs 12 are notched adjacent the flange 14Patented August 23, 1966 Fice to form means for retention of the sealring 15 on the liange 14 as shown in FIGURE 5.

The upper end of the flow tube is provided with internal screw threadswhich receive the externally screwi threaded shank of a sprinkler head16. The sprinkler head may be conventional and may be of the type whichrotates.

Operation of the slide connection is as follows:

When the sprinkler head is in its -retracted position, substantialclearance is provided between the flow tube 11 and the collar 6. Thus onactivating the sprinkler, some water washes upwardly through the collarwhile the flow tube 1 is rapidly forced upwardly to its sealingposition. The tapered portions 13 do not wedge in the tapered bore, butiit freely so that the ring 15 may seal, yet, at the same time, the flowtube has minimal wobble when the sprinkler rotates. When the waterpressure is shut off, the liow tube, weighted by the sprinkler head,falls freely.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it Iwill be obvious to those skilled in the Iartthat changes and modifications may be made without departing from theinvention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appendedclaims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A pop-up sprinkler having an axially slidable connection andcomprising:

(a) a sprinkler housing including a sleeve having means at its lower endfor connection to a water supply;

(b) a collar secured to the upper end of said sleeve and having anelongated downwardly diverging tapered bore and a seat at its lower end;

(c) a ow tube extending downwardly through said collar and into saidsleeve for axial movement between a retracted andan extended position;

(d) a sprinkler head carried by said flow tube;

(e) sealing means at the lower end of said flow tube engageable withsaid seat when said flow tube is extended;

(f) and tapered guide ribs on said flow tube extending axially from saidsealing means for mating engagement with the tapered bore of saidcollar, when said liow tube is extended for holding said flow tube in-coaxial relation kwith said collar;

(g) said collar and iiow tube forming a flushing passage between andaround said ribs therebetween, when said fiow tube is retracted.

2. A pop-up sprinkler having an axially slidable connection andcomprising:

(a) a sprinkler housing including a sleeve having means at its lower endfor connection to a water Supply;

(b) a collar secured to the upper end of said sleeve and having anelongated downwardly diverging bore, an axially extending key slot insaid bore, and a seat at its lower end;

(c) a flow tube extending downwardly through said collar and into saidsleeve for axial movement between a retracted and an extended position;

(d) a longitudinal key rib on said flow tube fitting said key slot torestrain said flow tube against rotation;

(e) a rotatable sprinkler head mounted on said flow tube;

(f) ysealing means at the lower end of said fiow tube engageable withsaid seat when said flow tube is eX- tended;

(g) and tapered guide ribs on said flow tube extending axially from saidsealing means for mating engagement with the tapered bore of saidcollar, when said flow tube is extended, for holding said flow tube incoaxial relation with said collar;

(h) said collar and flow tube forming a flushing passage between andaround said guide ribs therebetween, when said ow tube is retracted.

3. A pop-up sprinkler comprising:

(a) a tubular sprinkler housing having means at its lower end forconnection to a water supply, walls defining an elongated upwardlytapering bore at its upper end, fand a seat at the inner end of saidbore;

(b) a How tube slidable in said housing, between a lower and an upperposition, and projecting through said bore;

(c) a sprinkler head carried by said llow tube;

(d) sealing means at the lower end of said ow tube for sealingengagement with said seat, when said flow tube is in its upper position;

(e) and a plurality of upwardly tapered guide ribs disposed on the outersurface of said ow tube to space said flow tube from the walls of saidbore, for ow of flushing water between said flow tube and its upperposition, said ribs mating with the walls of said bore to hold said owtube in coaxial relation lwith said housing, when said ow tube is in itsupper position.

4. A pop-up sprinkler, according to claim 3, wherein:

(a) said bore has at least one key slot, and a key rib,

dimensioned to be received in said key slot, is superposed on at leastone of said guide ribs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,726,490 8/ 1929Irving et al 239-204 1,821,579 9/1931 Rader 239-206 2,744,786 5/ 1956Whitehead 239-206 2,812,977 11/ 1957 Phillips 239-204 3,131,867 5/1964Miller et al 239-206 X M. HENSON WOOD, I R., Primary Examiner.

the walls of said bore when said ow tube is below 20 V- C- WILKS,ASSl'Sfnf Examiner.

2. A POP-UP SPRINKLER HAVING AN AXIALLY SLIDABLE CONNECTION ANDCOMPRISING: (A) A SPRINKLER HOUSING INCLUDING A SLEEVE HAVING MEANS ATITS LOWER END FOR CONNECTION TO A WATER SUPPLY; (B) A COLLAR SECURED TOTHE UPPER END OF SAID SLEEVE AND HAVING AN ELONGATED DOWNWARDLYDIVERGING BORE, AND AXIALLY EXTENDING KEY SLOT IN SAID BORE, AND A SEATAT ITS LOWER END; (C) A FLOW TUBE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAIDCOLLAR AND INTO SAID SLEEVE FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACTED AN ANEXTENDED POSITION; (D) A LONGITUDINAL KEY RIB ON SAID FLOW TUBE FITTINGSAID KEY SLOT TO RESTRAIN SAID FLOW TUBE AGAINST ROTATION; (E) AROTATABLE SPRINKLER HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID FLOW TUBE; (F) SEALING MEANS ATTHE LOWER END OF SAID FLOW TUBE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SEAT WHEN SAID FLOWTUBE IS EXTENDED; (G) AND TAPERED GUIDE RIBS ON SAID FLOW TUBE EXTENDINGAXIALLY FROM SAID SEALING MEANS FOR MATING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TAPEREDBORE OF SAID COLLAR, WHEN SAID FLOW TUBE IS EXTENDED, FOR HOLDING SAIDFLOW TUBE IN COAXIAL RELATION WITH SAID COLLAR; (H) SAID COLLAR AND FLOWTUBE FORMING A FLUSHING PASSAGE BETWEEN AND AROUND SAID GUIDE RIBSTHEREBETWEEN, WHEN SAID FLOW IS RETRACTED.